Day 15 - Hakuba - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Depsite we're past christmas, I think listening to this song while writing this is very fitting. We've made it to Hakuba, and the weather is beautiful! We didn't get up to much else other than commuting today, arriving at Pension Belnina around 4ish. Once we were settled we braved the cold, and walked down the main street to pick up our ski gear, before having dinner there too.

This morning we woke up a little earlier than usual to leave, and I was roused awake by Adelaide's exclamations that it was finally snowing. While we'd seen it forecast, we weren't entirely sure that it would - but after a weary look at the slim view we had from our hotel window, down onto the snow topped cars in the carpark below, we could see that it was, in fact, snowing. And at quite a rate too, the flakes were quite big in size.

We spent a while marveling at the sight, before we got up, showered and prepared ourselves for the cold day we had ahead of us. All rugged up and warm, we headed to the lobby to check out. (Adelade paid for a room service pizza we'd chalked up on the first day too!). It wasn't too windy which was very welcome, but it was a little bit "sleet-y", so it took me a minute to get used to the traction once we were outside the hotel. We wondered down to the local Doutour for coffee, and then to the Konbini for warming snacks (more pizza/riku-man and a hash brown). While Addy went into the Konbini, I huddled near the elevator up to the foot overpass, out of the way of the precipitation. Once Addy had bought all our snacks, we'd managed to time it well as an elevator was coming back down, so we stuck with the tradition in Japan, and stepped aside to let the people off. The man coming off the elevator was super grumpy, and for some unknown reason, felt the need to kick Addy's bag out of his - very clear - way. Not sure why, it wasn't a very good kick either. His Wife (?) seemed to follow after him at a bit of a distance. Not the best way to start such a cool day, but we have bigger fish to fry, and Karma came back around as an old couple held the elevator down, off the overpass.

Anywho, we went through Shibuya station one last time and waited for a Yamanote train to leave as it was chocco-block, before getting on the next one. During peak hour JR runs smaller services to ease congestion on the busier, longer routes (Hint hint Translink), and we accidentally boarded one of these, which terminated in Osaki. It was only two stops short of Tokyo, so we changed over to the next train. Again, with the brilliant timing of the trains, combined with the fact that we'd left earlier than necessary anyway, we arrived already ahead of our planned time.

Still, this left us 45 minutes at Tokyo station, so we waited near our Shinkansen platform. I minded the bags while Addy went and had a scrounge around the stalls, and returned with some juice, before I went and had my own look and purchased another bento box - this time it was just a hamburger one with two strips of capsicum and some rice. It hit the spot once we were on the train. I'm not sure why but the Japanese seem to have a thing about 'hamburgers' which are really just meat paddies - you can get it in curries, in your Udon, etc.

Our Shinkansen (Asama 527) was eight cars long, and we happened to be in the front carriage. We seemed to get squeezed out of the line we were making on the platform, but the people behind us let us back in. I loaded our bags into the space between the back seats and the wall - the only place we've been able to find a spot that was big enough for our bags - and I certainly don't intended on trying to heave our bags over our head... which would then make me stress about it falling on us. We didn't end up needing to notify the crew about it, but we were tempted to.

While everyone was boarding and I was sorting (read: jamming our bags on an angle they wouldn't rock around on), we ran into the couple we'd met before going into the Quest Bar on Australia Day (we didn't see them again), but I gave them some directions about where they were meant to be. They hadn't booked reserved tickets, and so they had to go all the way to the back four cars. This in turn confused us more about how long they'd been here; we hadn't caught a time or date when we first met, but they'd been talking like they'd been away for a while - yet still weren't sure how to board a shinkansen?

I digress. The train left Tokyo and once we were out of the skyscraper district the snow seemed to set in more, with most places sufficently caked. We had many stops on our way to Nagano, and it was interesting to see the difference in landscape between them, as some places seemed to be a white out, while others were just receiving some light rain. The mountains also picked up the further away from town we got, and before long much of the time we spent was in tunnels.

Arriving at Nagano, we rugged ourselves adequately, and disembarked the train. Because Nagano is a bus trip away from Hakuba, we booked our return Shinkansen tickets (to Mt. Fuji), and it appears it'll be quite a day of travelling - but that's for a future post. I was also in need of a loo, so I went on the hunt while Addy phoned our accomodation to inform them of our expected arrival time (she also had a fight with the phone booth - curse this old technology!). We needed to get a bus from Nagano station, so we booked return tickets for 5600 Yen (for both of us), before waiting at the stop, and I played in some "snow".

We only had a 20-odd minute wait before the bus turned up, during which time we got to appreaciate more of the snow. Boarding the bus, it was obvious that there was quite a higher portion of Aussies in the immediate area, and as we made our way to Hakuba, I learned that at least the ones behind us were very unprepared for their trip (not knowing which stop to get off at, where there hotel was, or if they'd even got a connecting bus to it). The bus was nice and warm, so I found it hard to stay awake - despite being mesmerised by the outside conditions. Addy was content with reading more of her book.

By the time we got close to Hakuba, there had been some serious snow-falls, and they were using machines on the road to clear it up, but it seemed they had a big job ahead of them - and with more snow expected to fall in the next week, I wouldn't be surprised if we see them on our way out. Eventually we arrived at Hakuba Happone. While it wasn't the last stop, most of the bus departed here.

While I got our bags, Addy met with our driver to Pension Belnina, who we came to meet as Marni (we're 90% sure). He's a nice ex-pat, who works at our lodging, along with Yakata, who owns the place. It was a quick 5 minute drive from the station, but with our bags, would've taken us more than an hour to navigate through the treacherous snow on foot. When we arrived, we were shown into the common room, where we met Yakata and his wife (name forgotten). They were all very generous people and were keen to hear about what we wanted to get out of our next few days here. Yakatas wife served us some Japanese tea and Mochi, best described as Japanese turkish delight, which was quite nice, albiet a little different.

Once Yakata had run through the accomodation and surrounding area very clearly with us, he took us on the tour. The three storey building has the rooms at the very top, the breakfast and common room on the middle level (as well as womens ONLY toilets, I think Adelaides a little relieved), before taking us downstairs to the Drying room, as well as the Onsens and showers. The showers can be used at any time of day, however the onsens are only available between 5 and 10pm. With that complete, we got ourselves settled in our room.

I should note at this point too - we didn't take many stills, but we took plenty of video.

When we were ready to go back out again, and pick up our gear, we let Yakata know that we wanted to make a reservation at a Ramen place near by. He'd tipped us that we should always book as the Echoland (the kind of suburb in Hakuba we're staying in), is always busy around tea time, and you'll often see people get turned away if they don't have one.

Out in the snow, I donned my GoPro for a bit, and Adelaide and I felt how powdery the snow was - it was great. Of course, just as I stopped recording, is when Addy had her first slip on the ice walking down the street. She was fine and didn't hurt herself, but she's been careful when walking ever since (perhaps skiing tomorrow will change that?).

We wandered down to the Konbini on the main drag, where we bought some snacks. The place is run by a lovely old lady, and she has two old golden retrievers which roam around the store, and I'm sure we'll learn their names in the coming few days. Convieniently underneath was our ski hire store, so we went down where we had a short wait while Dylan, the guy who ran it, served another couple. Eventually he let us try on our clothing, and Addy had the fun of trying on a heap of different jackets, pants and gloves before finding the best fit. I only needed to get a helmet and goggles.

With our clothing sorted, Dylan fit us for our shoes and skis. After some contemplating on both our parts, we eventually found a pair of shoes that we were both happy with. Adelaides were a little tight, but we agreed it was for the best. After we found the right shoes, we got our skis, poles and were able to leave. I offered to make two trips for Adelaide but she was determined to do it in one. Shortly after leaving the rental place, I had to take Addy's skis and poles, while she was trying to deal with her own clothes and our snacks we'd purchased before hand. It was a long walk back to the Pension, and by the time we got back my arm had the shakes from holding the skis (tomorrow will be great fun).

We stocked our stuff in the drying room, ready for tomorrow, before heading upstairs and taking a break to snack and watch some more Modern Family - it was still a little early to go for dinner. When it was time though, we made the short walk back down the main street. Without Skis, it was much more enjoyable.

It was getting dark, but we had an idea of where our place was. After stopping at the wrong place at first, because it looked similar, we got ourselves oriented, and made our way there. Sakura Ramen (we think), is a comfy little restaurant underneath the cooks house, and seats 4 tables, with a small bar area. We were the first ones in there, before we were followed in by another group of Aussies soon after. The restaurant has traditional style dining tables, with a recess underneath for your feet. We had to take off our shoes as well. We think the waiter was our cook too, as he ran between us, the other group and the kitchen.

I ordered the 'Ramen garlic special', while Adelaide just had 'Ramen Garlic'. The noodles had the hint of Migoreng to them, but it was still delicious. Of course, we had it with a side of Gyoza and beer. While we ate dinner we discussed the following day and what we might do, depending on the outcome of our skiing. Ramen never fails to fill you up, and so we waddled back to our Pension, weary of slipping, but as the snow was still falling we weren't too worried.

When we got back we felt that it was a perfect time to try out the Onsen downstairs. They are small, but considering we have the option to use one in the comfort of our own accomodation, you can't complain. I definitely think steaming off at the end of a day will become a regular thing after our skiing.

Well, tomorrow we need to be up nice and early for our Ski lesson, so it's best I finish up. Until then, Goodnight!